The teamster leaned closer and whispered, “One thing I need to tell you. The cargo is five little girls. Spoiled and pampered rich kids. You’ll need a lady’s maid, a few men to ride shotgun, and probably a cannon to get them to Dallas. Every outlaw within a hundred miles has probably heard of the girls coming home and plans to ransom them after they leave you for the buzzards.”

The teamster shook his head. “I might still have tried the trip except for one thing. The little girls’ daddy has sworn to kill me if his daughters arrive with even a scratch. I figured out tonight that I’d be double dead if I took this job.”

Trapper looked in the man’s eyes and saw true fear. “Why don’t the parents come to meet them?”

“Word is there’s a big range war north of Dallas. If he leaves, he stands to lose all the land he’s fought for. Some say he tried writing to the school to keep them over the holiday, but the girls were already on their way.”

The teamster shrugged. “You’ll spend all your money hiring guards and still not have enough.” He stood. “Well, I’m heading home fifty dollars richer thanks to the advance they gave me. I’ll keep the money left after I’ve bought the wagon and supplies. You can collect the rest if you make it to Dallas. If . . .” He walked away whistling.

Trapper didn’t argue. It was too late. He’d won the pot. “Where do I find them?” he yelled at the teamster’s back.

The man turned around. “They’ll be arriving before noon tomorrow by paddleboat. The nurse with them will turn them over to you and return as soon as the boat is reloaded. A wagon will be waiting for you by the dock. It ain’t big, but it’s got a cover. I stocked it with enough food and water to last the trip.”

“Aren’t you going to be there to see us off?”

“No. I’m staying home with my wife. She’s been complaining about having to go along since I signed on. She might be happy enough to be nice to me.”

Trapper nodded. He’d faced worse odds before, like every night in the war, when he’d crossed enemy lines. Five hundred would give him a real start. So he’d take the job no matter what danger came with it.

Besides, how much trouble could five little girls be? They’d probably look at it as an adventure.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Emery Adams watched the card game from the door of the kitchen. She usually tried to be invisible once she stepped into the saloon, but she liked serving supper to the tall man called Trapper. Once he’d glanced up at her, and she’d seen kind eyes in a hard face that rarely smiled.